Can gallbladder issues cause symptoms of celiac disease?

[robingfellow]

I've had symptoms of celiac disease since May 2022 (joint pain, severe migraines, digestive troubles, tachycardia, and hypothyroidism, fatigue) and couldn't figure out what was wrong, especially because I had no access to a doctor. In August of last year I tried a gluten free diet out of desperation and found all my symptoms clearing up! Especially the more of my diet I realized contained gluten and eliminated from my diet. I've even been able to maintain full-But just a couple weeks ago I had to have my gallbladder removed in am emergency surgery, and afterwards the surgeon suggested that a lot of my issues could have been caused by my gallbladder not working properly, but I haven't heard anything about that before. Any ideas? I don't want to try to reintroduce gluten without being certain it won't bring back my issues. It's already troubling enough to know I might have to reintroduce it to my diet just to be tested.

[robingfellow]

I can't edit my posts, but I forgot to note as well: I also had low iron and vitamin d according to my blood tests, despite already taking supplements for each

[Mr-Collateral531]

I have dealt with gallbladder issues on-and-off for about ten years now. I was diagnosed with biliary dyskinesia in 2016 but chose to keep my gallbladder. Then in July 2022, I was diagnosed with celiac disease.
Your surgeon is partially right in that your gallbladder can definitely cause some of those issues. However, the flip side to the coin is celiac can cause issues with your gallbladder. It’s a lesser studied area of disease manifestation, but limited research has shown a correlation between celiac, gallbladder dismotility, and how a gluten-free diet can help increase the gallbladder ejection fraction. Which literally happened in my case. In 2016 my HIDA scan measured my gallbladder ejection fraction as 29%. Then in 2023 after going strict gluten free, my HIDA scan measured it as 100%. It’s not perfect. I get right upper quadrant pain from time to time still. But at least I got that piece of evidence for myself. 

I haven’t found any empirical studies on it but I have a theory. The gallbladder stores your bile for digestion. When the food enters your small intestine, the cells of your duodenum secrete cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is what tells your gallbladder to empty. It’s literally Greek for “bile sac move.” Since the duodenum is a prime location for epithelial cell damage in celiac, it seems very possible that this can alter production of digestive hormones like CCK. As the small intestine begins to heal it produces more CCK and therefore the gallbladder can once again function. If you care to share, why did you need to have yours removed?

In regards to the low iron and low vitamin D despite supplementation, that is also common in celiac. I fought vitamin D deficiency for almost a year despite taking 5000 IUs a day. I don’t have anemia, but I know I can use more iron based on my last round of blood work. Best I can say is you need to right cofactors as well. My vitamin D level virtually stayed the same for three different blood tests all 12 weeks apart. One was even after taking the prescription vitamin D of 50,000 IUs once a week. Once again, something not all doctors seem to know, but a nutrient deficiency isn’t necessarily treated by just taking more of that nutrient. Vitamin D metabolism requires many cofactors and processes in the small intestine, liver, and kidneys. And iron metabolism requires many cofactors as well including vitamin D. The biggest thing is to find a supplement regiment that works for you. Do you take specific vitamins or do you take a multivitamin? How much iron is in the supplement you take? What type of iron is it?

Do you take magnesium? Another big game changer for me was adding 450mg/day of magnesium supplements for about two months and then dropping to 200mg/day. I would take 250mg of magnesium aspartate at lunch time and then 200mg of magnesium glycinate around 7:00pm. Magnesium is a huge cofactor for both vit D and iron metabolism. And that’s just one. Zinc, copper, vitamin K, boron, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin C are all contributing cofactors to vitamin D and iron metabolism. But too much supplementing is also dangerous. I’ve also been through iron overload and zinc toxicity in my post-celiac journey. Once again, doctors just saying to do one thing without considering anything else.

I hope this helps and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask.
 

 

 

 

 

[robingfellow]

34 minutes ago, Mr-Collateral531 said:

I have dealt with gallbladder issues on-and-off for about ten years now. I was diagnosed with biliary dyskinesia in 2016 but chose to keep my gallbladder. Then in July 2022, I was diagnosed with celiac disease.
Your surgeon is partially right in that your gallbladder can definitely cause some of those issues. However, the flip side to the coin is celiac can cause issues with your gallbladder. It’s a lesser studied area of disease manifestation, but limited research has shown a correlation between celiac, gallbladder dismotility, and how a gluten-free diet can help increase the gallbladder ejection fraction. Which literally happened in my case. In 2016 my HIDA scan measured my gallbladder ejection fraction as 29%. Then in 2023 after going strict gluten free, my HIDA scan measured it as 100%. It’s not perfect. I get right upper quadrant pain from time to time still. But at least I got that piece of evidence for myself. 

I haven’t found any empirical studies on it but I have a theory. The gallbladder stores your bile for digestion. When the food enters your small intestine, the cells of your duodenum secrete cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is what tells your gallbladder to empty. It’s literally Greek for “bile sac move.” Since the duodenum is a prime location for epithelial cell damage in celiac, it seems very possible that this can alter production of digestive hormones like CCK. As the small intestine begins to heal it produces more CCK and therefore the gallbladder can once again function. If you care to share, why did you need to have yours removed?

In regards to the low iron and low vitamin D despite supplementation, that is also common in celiac. I fought vitamin D deficiency for almost a year despite taking 5000 IUs a day. I don’t have anemia, but I know I can use more iron based on my last round of blood work. Best I can say is you need to right cofactors as well. My vitamin D level virtually stayed the same for three different blood tests all 12 weeks apart. One was even after taking the prescription vitamin D of 50,000 IUs once a week. Once again, something not all doctors seem to know, but a nutrient deficiency isn’t necessarily treated by just taking more of that nutrient. Vitamin D metabolism requires many cofactors and processes in the small intestine, liver, and kidneys. And iron metabolism requires many cofactors as well including vitamin D. The biggest thing is to find a supplement regiment that works for you. Do you take specific vitamins or do you take a multivitamin? How much iron is in the supplement you take? What type of iron is it?

Do you take magnesium? Another big game changer for me was adding 450mg/day of magnesium supplements for about two months and then dropping to 200mg/day. I would take 250mg of magnesium aspartate at lunch time and then 200mg of magnesium glycinate around 7:00pm. Magnesium is a huge cofactor for both vit D and iron metabolism. And that’s just one. Zinc, copper, vitamin K, boron, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin C are all contributing cofactors to vitamin D and iron metabolism. But too much supplementing is also dangerous. I’ve also been through iron overload and zinc toxicity in my post-celiac journey. Once again, doctors just saying to do one thing without considering anything else.

I hope this helps and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask.
 

 

 

 

 

My gallbladder was at 94% ejection fraction according to my HIDA scan before surgery, when the "normal" range is considered to be between 30-80%, so the surgeon recommended removal because I had been experiencing severe chronic upper quadrant pain and even vomiting despite having a strong stomach. A biopsy after surgery showed intense inflammation suggesting my gallbladder was on the verge of bursting if I hadn't gotten it removed.

 

The last time my iron and vitamin d levels were checked post-gluten free diet they were in a normal range (I take 60mg iron tablets every other day, and vitamin D capsules daily) I do also take magnesium daily, specifically 400mg magnesium bisglycinate at night to aid my sleep since I try to avoid taking melatonin due to personal preference.

 

I'll definitely have to keep in mind the point about celiac possibly causing gallbladder problems, I'll probably wait until I can see a proper GI and get their input before I attempt to reintroduce gluten back into my diet that way any reaction I may or may not have can be properly assessed.

[knitty kitty]

Welcome to the forum, @robingfellow and @Mr-Collateral531,

I also had to have my gallbladder removed in emergency surgery. 

The gallbladder uses lots of thiamine vitamin b1 to function.   The gallbladder cannot secrete bile if it doesn't have sufficient thiamine.  Thiamine provides our muscles and glands energy to move and secrete needed enzymes and hormones.  The thyroid is another gland that requires lots if thiamine to function and secrete hormones.   Our brains, just thinking at a desk job, requires as much thiamine as our muscles do if running a marathon.   Migraines are linked to thiamine deficiency.

Thiamine is the first of the eight B vitamins that our body needs. Thiamine can only be stored for three weeks at most.  Our thiamine stores can be depleted in as little as three days.  We need more thiamine when we have a physical injury (like recovering from surgery or fighting the flu), if we're emotionally stressed or traumatized, and if we're physically active.  Thiamine, like the other B vitamins, is water soluble and easily excreted in urine or most in diarrhea.  B vitamins are commonly poorly absorbed in Celiac Disease.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins need to be taken together because they interact with each other to make life sustaining enzymes. 

Thiamine deficiency can affect individual organs.  Gallbladder dysfunction is connected to thiamine deficiency, as is hypothyroidism.    Migraines are connected to thiamine deficiency.  Gastrointestinal Beriberi (abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.) is a result of thiamine deficiency.  Tachycardia and fatigue are also symptoms of thiamine deficiency.   Thiamine and magnesium make enzymes that are essential for life.  

Thiamine is needed to absorb certain minerals like iron.  Anemia and thiamine deficiency frequently occur together.  Thiamine deficiency can cause poor blood cell production (including low antibody production).  

Thiamine interacts with other vitamins and minerals.  Vitamin D is not utilized by the body until turned into an active form by Thiamine.

Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  High doses of thiamine correct deficiencies quickly which prevent further health deterioration.  A one a day type multivitamin is not sufficient to correct vitamin and mineral deficiencies that occur in the malabsorption of Celiac Disease.  

The Gluten free diet is low in vitamins as they are not required to be enriched with vitamins lost in processing.  Supplementing with thiamine and the B vitamins boosts their absorption.  

Helpful Reading:

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8533683/

Gastrointestinal Beriberi and Wernicke's Encephalopathy Triggered by One Session of Heavy Drinking

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6739701/

P. S. Try a DNA test to see if you have any known genes for Celiac Disease before doing a gluten challenge.

Edited January 28 by knitty kitty
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